Policy Bulletin No. 1995-03

Section 21.3 Sick Leave & Section 21.4 Extended Sick Leave - September 29, 1995

TO: Personnel Officers
FROM: Peter Elmendorf
SUBJECT: Absence for Training of Service Animals

Legislation enacted on July 26, 1995 (Chapter 232, Laws of 1995) amends section 6(1) of the Civil Service Law to broaden the current Attendance Rule provisions permitting use of sick leave and advancing of sick leave by visually handicapped and hearing impaired employees for purposes of obtaining and training guide dogs.

The new legislation permits use of sick leave and advancing of sick leave for absences to obtain and train a service animal or guide dog and adds a new category of eligible employee--individuals certified by an examining physician as benefiting from the use of a service animal in performing major life activities.

There is no change in the amount of sick leave which can be charged or advanced for this purpose. Eligible employees can charge up to 26 days of accrued sick leave credits per calendar year. Eligible employees who have exhausted all leave credits can be advanced sick leave provided that their outstanding balance of sick leave advanced for this purpose cannot exceed 26 days and the cumulative total of sick leave credits charged and/or advanced for this purpose cannot exceed 26 days in any one calendar year. (See sections 21.3 and 21.4 of the State Attendance and Leave Manual for a complete discussion of this benefit.)

Questions on these provisions should be referred to the Employee Relations Section of the Department of Civil Service at (518) 457-2295.

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